LEXINGTON, Va. – Sophomore Zach Perkins (Vienna, Va./James Madison) tossed eight strong innings and also collected a pair of hits at the plate, as the Washington and Lee baseball team defeated Eastern Mennonite, 12-5, on Wednesday evening to split the season series.
 
After pitching a perfect first inning, Perkins helped his own cause by driving in a run in the bottom of the first, after senior shortstop Jason Volpicelli (Great Falls, Va./Paul VI Catholic) doubled home a run to get the Generals (6-11, 6-11 ODAC) on the board. 
 
Perkins and Volpicelli drove in one run each again in the second, in addition to an RBI double from junior first baseman Brian Wickman (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central Regional), as the Generals led 7-0 through two innings. The Royals scored on a sacrifice fly in the third, but W&L added four more runs in the fourth on a pair of two-RBI knocks from first-year catcher Jaden Keuhner (Aldie, Va./John Champe) and first-year right fielder Mason Satterfield (Vienna, Va./James Madison).
 
Perkins' only inning of trouble was the fifth, when he allowed two runs on three hits, but he settled down and allowed just one unearned over his final 3.1 innings. He also capped the scoring for W&L in the game with an RBI single in the fifth, while EMU (5-10, 5-10 ODAC) scored its final run in the ninth on a wild pitch.
 
With a final line of 8.0 innings, eight hits, four runs (three earned), one walk and nine strikeouts, Perkins (1-0) earned his first collegiate win. He also went 2-for-3 with a run, three RBI and a walk at the plate. Volpicelli had a game-high three knocks, scored four times and drove in two runs, while Wickman, Keuhner, Satterfield and senior Matt Whitely (Salem, Va./Hidden Valley) all contributed two hits.
 
Whitely relieved Perkins and pitched the ninth, and he allowed one unearned run to finish off the game.
 
The Royals were led on offense by senior shortstop Brett Lindsay, who finished with two hits and three RBI. Junior right fielder Jordan Jones and senior third baseman John Judy collected two hits apiece, while first-year second baseman Ethan Spraker went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.
 
Senior right-hander Jonathan Nagle (0-1) was the losing pitcher in the game, as he lasted 2.0 innings and allowed seven earned runs on nine hits.
 
The Generals will return to play on Saturday when they host Virginia Wesleyan in their final ODAC doubleheader of the regular season. Game one is slated to get underway at 12:30 pm.